Method of and apparatus for ascertaining the proportion of a constituent in a fluid



Jan'. 12 A, 1926.

PORTION OF A E. X. SCHMIDT ET AL METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR ASCERTAINING THE PRO v CONSTITUENT IN A FLUID` Filed Jan. 30. 1924 glu/Mmes o w x0 u z &\ 2 A M 4 mt u n n mi s a constituent in a fluid. l I .l

More particularly, s the Invention .relates Patented Jan. 12,l 192.6..

y UNITED STATE cries.;

PAIE;

EDWIN X. SCHMIDT AND ULRIc o.` IIUrrroN, or'nILwAUKnnwIScoNSIN;ASSIeNoRS 'ro THE Curran-HAMMER MFG.; co., or iurnwitunnnl WISCONSIN; A consortia;

rrIoN or WISCONSIN.

Mn'rHoDoF AND ArrAnArUs'ron ASCERTAINING Tnnrnoroniron ora coNSrIrUf -v v nN'rIN.LIrLuID. VV f' Application med January 3o, 1924. Serial No. 539,455.

To all whom t may concern.: f

f Be it known that we, EDWIN X. SCHMIDT and ULRIC O. HUT'roN, citizens of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in they county of Milwaukee and State of .Wisconsim have inventednew and useful Improvements in aMethod of and Apparatus for Ascertain# ing the Proportion of a Constituent 1n a.

Fluid, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, andexact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

'This invention relates toa method ofand aparatus f or ascertaining the to a method of and'apparatus for ascertaining the pro-portion of a constituent in .la fluid by yelectrical means.

One object of our invention is to provide a device of the above character of rugged,l

simple and compact construction. v 1 Another object is to provide a 'device' for ascertaining the proportion of a constituent of a compound fluid by electrical means in an improved manner. .i

Another object is to providel a device for ascertaining the proportion: of a fluid constituent, utilizingthe differential of thermic expansion of elements subjected respectively to influence vof the medium. Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear.

Referring to the accompanying drawings: Figure v1 is a vertical sectional view ofa device constructed in accordancexwith our invention, and j Fig. 2 is a frontelevation ofthe same, portions of :the device beingshownin vsection.

Referring vto the drawing the numerals 1 and 2 indicate a pair of chambers, SaidV chambers being preferablyof tubular shape `and being substantially closed at the upper ends thereof by a cap member 3, which is.

provided with a portion 4 forming a houswallsof .the housing 1` to .form a rotatable support for said roller.-

Slidable in the lower ends of the tubes 1 .and 2 arerpistons 8 and 9, respectively, and

proportion `of test fluid and anothery `extending'through said pistons and rigidly 'i connected therewithI arey insulating posts y10 5 and11. The lower ends of said posts 10 and 11 vare preferably provided with screw threads toreceive nuts 13 and'1t,'15 and 16, aninsulating block 12 being adapted toL be clamped between the upper pair of `nutsf13 and 15and they lower'p'airof nuts 14: and 16 to yrigidly connect said block and the insu- .latingfposts 10 and 11.. Surrounding tubes lVand 2 and rigidly secured thereto in any 4Asuitable manner are spaced blocks 17 and 13, said 'blocks being provided with vertical; openingsto receive a pairof'guide rods 19 andv20`, as illustrated in Fig. 2.y The lower .ends ofl said rods are screw threaded'to receive nuts 21'and 22 adapted to support the insulating block 12'which is clamped ther-e4 against by means of nuts 23 and 24.' Intervposed between the blocks 12 and 17 and surroundingvthe rods 19 and`20 are springs'25` and QG'tending to separate said blocks The guide rrods '19 and 2O insure horizontal positioning of the insulating block 12 at al1 times'. A conducting wire 27 is attached to y the insulating postV 10, said wire extending `upwardly through the tubevv 1 'to theirollei1 5 around which'itis coiled a number of times. and thence extends downwardly through vthe tube 2 land is attached to the insulating post 11.y Said wire 27 is connected at the e insulatingv posts 10r and 11 with. a suit`- able source of electric currentffor heatingv ysaid wire, Vas indicated by lines L and L2.

Suitable meanssuch as a'rheostat 28,'may. be provided to regulatethe supply of energy to said wire. n

Secured to the extension 6 of the roller 5 and adapted to turn therewith is an arm 2.9

having a'v gear segment 30 at the klower end thereof adapted for 'engagement with a spur gear31 attached toa sha-ft 32 rotatably sup'- ported by the ycap 3. The outer Yend of said lshaft is provided 'with an indicating hand 33 adapted to rotate therewith and arranged to cooperate with an indicating dial '34..

Tube 1 visfpreferably provided with'openingsy 35 and 36, which permit entranceV and exit' of a standard fluid medium such, for

is'provided with nipples 37 and. 38 having openings 39 and 40 therein which` permit entrance and exit of the test fluid.` The `openexample, as latrnospheric air, whereas` tube 2 ings 42 and 43 in cap 3 above tubes i and 2 may be of a size just large enough to permit passage otfwire 27, or said openings may be provided with disks L4 andl of insulation or the like, as shown.

The operation of the device is as follows :.V

` pass through tube l, and a continuous stream of line gases, fory instance, is permitted to enter the opening 39 at the lower endof tube 2; and escape through opening 4f() the upper end thereof, there will be a dit-` erence in the rate of expansion oi' the twoportions 1oit the wire due tothe presence ot carbon diXoid the last mentioned tube.

rlhis is due tothe fact that carbon dioxid has about `:Forty per cent less heat conduc-l tivity than air whereas the other main constituents of; 'flue gases all have practically the saine heat conductivity as air. Thus the portion of wire in tube2 will become hotter than the wire in tube l in direct proportion to the percentage of carbon dioxidlcontained in the iiue gases, and will accordingly .expand a proportionately greater amount than the portion of wire in tube 1. The resulting difference in length of the two portions of wire 27` will be taken up by` downward movement of the block l2 and the attached parts under theaction of springs 25 and 28 to bring both portions of the wire to the same degree oftensioii. In other words, the

Y difference in length of the two portions of the wire under `suchl conditions will be equally divided between the saine, onehaljt oit' such additional length being` wound upon the roller 'above the tube 2 and a corresponding portion unwound from said roller above/'the tube l. This winding and. unwinding movement o'l' the wire will'cause a corresponding movement of the iroller 5 Vwhich is, communicated through the arm 29 .andthrough gearing 3() and 3l to the indicating hand 3B, to indicate the percentage of carbon dioxid in said flue gases.` It desired the wire 27 may be rigidly fastened to the roller 5 a-s indicated at 4l, but ordinarilyy there issuificient friction between the coils of the wire and tlieroller to obviate the necessity for suchfastening means.

Inasmuch as the flue gases being treated are usually saturated withwater vapor, to

`compensatefior possible errorsthe air or other standard "medium in tube l may also be saturated with water vapor in any well known manner, ori both the `lue gases and air may be dried beitoreentering the respective tubes. The flue gasesp assthreughtube 2 at substantially atmospheric pressure, which pressure corresponds with that in tube l, as will be obvious. Any suitable means may also be provided tor introducing the line gases and air into the respective tubes at substantially the same temperature.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

portion of a `constituent in a fluidfwhieh comprises simultaneously subjecting dimeni sionally proportioned portions of a ther` inally expansible medium `to influence re` .spectively oi the test fluid and of a standard medium, theteniperature `of said lirst mentioned medium being maintained different troni that ot said testJ Yfluid, and utilizing the differential ofthe resultant changes in dimension of such portions ofsaid fifirst mentioned medium in indicating-theproportion 'et such constituent iii `the test iiiiid.

2."The"inethod of ascertaining the proportion ot, a constituent` inra iiuid, which comprises subjectinga portion o'ta heated elen'ient to influence oit said fluidV and subjecting another portion of saidz element to influence of a standard fluid, andutilizing the dillereiiceiu expansion ot said portions of lauch element to indicate the proportion ot such constituent; i

3. The method of ascertaining the proportion oit a constituent iii a fluid, which comprises simultaneously subjectingdiffer ent portions of a heatedleleinent to contact with `,said 'fluid and another medium respectively and utiliaingfthe. di'iierential of eirpaiision of said` portions of `the element under suoli conditions to indicate the proportion ina constituent of saidlu-id.

4f.. The method ot ascertaining the proportion of a `constituent ina Huid, which comprises. subjecting portions oit` a heated wireinjseparate chambers to contact/,with a fluid 1.a iid another medium respectively while maintaining saidportions` of the wireat equal degrees oil tension andfutilizing the movement of `said wiredueto the "diiierenf tial ott expansionfo'i saidportions thereof to indicate the proportion of a-constituenfti-n saidluid.

lil() The`method""oi'l continuously ascertain ingthe proportion ogtcarbon dioXid in tlue gases, which comprises siiiuiltaueously subjecting different portions of a heated element tocoiitact with saidjlue gases andanother lil() medium respectively, andaitilizing the difi ferential ofexpansion of said portions of the element toindicate thel proportion o .Y carbon dioxid in said flue gases.

6L The method ot ascertaining in a`eontinuous manner the proportion of carbon dioxid in flue gases, which comprises subA jecting a portionof an electrically heatedv Wire to Contact with -a flow i. said flue gases and simultaneously subjecting another equal portion of said wire to contact with an equal volume of another medium having substan` tiallythe saine degree of heat conductivity as the other constituents of the flue gases,

and utilizing the difference in expansion of said portions of the ivire under such conditions as. a measure of the proportion of carbon dioXid in said flue gases.

8. The method 0f continuously ascertain- I ing the proportion of a constituent ina fluid,

which comprises simultaneously subjecting' different portions of an electrically heated Wire to contact With said fluid and another medium respectively under like conditionsv oftemperature pressure and saturation, and

utilizing the difference in expansion of said portions ofthe Wire as a measure. of the proportion of said constituent.

tions in thermal conductivity of the fluidy with variations in proportion of such constituent thereof, which comprises subjecting an element to thermic influence continuously proportional to the value of the thermal conductivity of such fluid and comparing continuously thev value of a resultant inechanical effect upon said elementl of' the variations in such influence With the lcorresponding effect upon an element subjected to standardized conditions of thermicinflueiice. A l

10. The method of continuously ascertaining the proportional value of a constituent in a fluid, which comprises simultaneously subjecting substantially equal lengths v of heated Wire to contact with said fluid and a4 standard medium respectively, and utilizing the difference of expansion of said lengths of Wire under such conditions as a measure of the proportional value of said constituent.

ll. Apparatus for determining the proportional value of a fluid constituent,`.com prisiiig apairof elements liavingsubstantially equal coefiicicnts of' expansion, means for subjecting said velements kto a'common source of heat While' surrounded by vsaid fluid and a standard medium respectively,V

and means for measuring the differenceo'f expansion of said elements under such conditions to indicate the said constituent.

l2. Apparatus for vascertaining lthe proprising a pair of conduits for the flue gases anda fluid having a standard value of heat conductivity respectively, a resistance element in each of said conduits, a common proportional value of.

"portion of carbon dioXid in fluegases, com- Y source of electric current therefor, and means 1 for measuring the difference in expansion of.

said elements to indicate the proportion said carbon dioXid.

13. A device of the character described,

comprising an elementhaving equal portions thereof subjected to a cominon'source of heat, and means interposed between said heated portions to indicate the differential of expansion vthereof ,-When simultaneouslyv exposed to a standard medium and a test fluid respectively.`A

14.' A device for ascertaining the propor` tion of a constituent in a fluid comprising, in

combination, `a heated Wire, means for subjecting different portions of said -Wire to contact with said fluid and another `medium respectively, and means for utilizing the differential of expansion of said portions of the Wire to indicate the proportion of a coiistitiient in said fluid.

l5. A device for ascertaining the proportion of a constituent in a fluid, comprising, in combination, an electrically heated Wire, chambers enclosing substantially equal portions of said Wire, means permitting flow. of'

said fluid and a standard medium throiign` the respective chambers in contact with said portionsfof the Wire, and means for measuringv thedifference in expansion offsaid portions of the Wire to indicate of said constituent f 'Y 16. A device for ascertaining the proportion of carbon dioXid in flue gases, comprising-a ypair of eXpaiisible heated elements, means for subjecting one of said elements to contact With a flow of said flue gases and the proportion `vsimultaneously subjecting the other element to Contact With a inedium,.having substanioo iio

tially the saine value of heat conductivity yas 'y theotl'ier constituents of said flue gases, and

means for measuring` thedifierence in eX` pansion of said elements torindicate the proportion of said carbon dioxid.'y i' ln Witness whereof, We have hereunto subscribed our names. Y

' EDN/VIN. X. SCHMIDT. ULRIC O. HUTTON. 

